We can’t see the forest for the trees.

But it is there. And in it there is beauty and magic and connection… and signs of fatigue and despair.

These three artists, each born to a different generation, have the gift to transform their thoughts, observations, and experiences into art.

With Sean Sawicki, the youngest of the three, there is an innocence and wonder he captures in his landscapes and animal portraits. He seems able to completely dial down the left side of his brain. “There were times I tried to count my breath as I walked, or tried to identify as many plants, trees, fungi, or wildlife I could. Now I just walk and look. Things sink in that way: it’s almost like the images have become my breath.”

In the middle we have Brantner DeAtley, kindred spirit to Sean. Both walk daily in the woods. Both draw from their surroundings. He has donkeys. I am waiting for the donkey sculptures. HIs animals and paintings both celebrate the wonder of nature, and draw us into the fragility of it all. “We live in a world where trees are talking to each other through mycelium that surrounds their roots. To me that is a magic I would to celebrate, not pave over.”

And then there is Dean Nimmer the elder statesman. Or as he refers to himself in our conversations, “Dean One.” The number of artists who have told me “oh, I had Dean for an Art Professor!…” is very long …including Sean Sawicki. I met Dean years ago at a flea market and we found a shared passion for vintage objects and fringe/folk art. Dean has no off switch when it comes to making art. Although I will share that in a middle of a text exchange the other day he told me he had to go take a nap.

What links these three artists together to me is their ability to maintain a sense of wonder. They may sometimes get lost in the woods, but they can see the forest. That is a special gift we should all be lucky enough to carry.